


A Boyfriend from Santa

by sir_kingsley



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, M/M, Mall Santa Claus, Post-Break Up, Shopping Malls, castiel is Claire Novak's uncle, dean is a mall santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:53:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22081369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_kingsley/pseuds/sir_kingsley
Summary: Cas takes his niece to see Santa in the mall only to discover that the man dressed as Santa is none other than Dean Winchester… his ex boyfriend.Cas is shocked he even recognizes Dean under the fake beard and red outfit, but even from a dozen feet away, he can pick out that familiar warm voice with its soft southern twang and his lovely eyes that sparkle at every child that crosses his lap.It makes Cas smile even as it makes him want to dip and run.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 7
Kudos: 137





	A Boyfriend from Santa

**Author's Note:**

> Another short Christmas drabble! I just loved the thought of Cas sitting on Dean's lap while Dean was dressed as Santa! This is absolute nonsense and I apologize for nothing!!

Cas takes his niece to see Santa in the mall only to discover that the man dressed as Santa is none other than Dean Winchester… his ex boyfriend.

Cas is shocked he even recognizes Dean under the fake beard and red outfit, but even from a dozen feet away, he can pick out that familiar warm voice with its soft southern twang and his lovely eyes that sparkle at every child that crosses his lap.

It makes Cas smile even as it makes him want to dip and run.

It’s not like things ended on a bad note between them. They’d just been dumb and young and going in different directions. Dean had been understanding when Cas said he wanted to end the relationship. Understanding but unmistakably disappointed and maybe a little blindsided. Okay, so maybe Cas hadn’t handled it the best but he was twenty-two and ready to broaden his horizons. He wasn’t proud of what he’d done, and had thought of Dean often, wondering what the gorgeous boy had chosen to do with his life post-graduation. If he has a partner, a family. Those thoughts usually made his stomach sour.

The line moves and Claire pulls him forward. He tries to redirect his attention to his niece instead of staring at Santa like a maniac.

“What are you going to ask him for, Claire-Bear?” Cas asks.

Without mission a beat, Claire responds, “Nintendo Switch.”

Cas rolls his eyes fondly and files that information away to share with his brother later.

“What about you, Uncle Cas?”

Cas frowns. “What about me?”

Claire looks at him like he’s an idiot. She does that often. “What are you going to ask Santa for?”

“Oh, uh, that’s really only for kids. He doesn’t bring presents to grownups.”

“But Mommy always asks and she gets something every year!”

Cas has to resist rolling his eyes again. Damn his overly considerate brother and his obnoxious and adorable love for his wife.

“Well, your mom is also a very good person.”

“But so are you!”

Cas’s heart warms at that and he can’t help ruffling Claire’s hair. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Claire pushes his hand away but she’s smiling big. After a moment the smile turns a bit sharp. “Maybe Santa can finally bring you a decent boyfriend,” she suggests.

“C-Claire!” Cas sputters.

The girls only shrugs. “That’s what Daddy said.”

_Fuck you Jimmy_ , Cas thinks into the universe.

“Next!” a very chipper red-haired elf calls.

Cas and Claire look up to find its their turn. Claire takes off immediately, Cas following much slower and cautiously. He tells himself that Dean probably won’t even recognize him. It’s been eight years and unlike Cas, Dean has surely been able to find someone new, someone to erase all memories of some college flame.

“Well hello there, young lady,” Dean greets as Claire steps up to his chair and makes herself comfortable in the man’s lap. Cas can’t even help the snort that spills from him. Leave it to his niece.

Cas stops a few feet away, allowing the two their moment. He sees Dean glance his way but nothing in his demeanor changes. Maybe he really had forgotten Cas.

“What’s your name?” Dean asks.

“My name is Claire Novak and I’m six years old,” Claire says like she’s rehearsed it. And knowing her, she probably has.

“Well, Claire Novak, have you been a good girl this year?”

She nods excitedly. “Yes, Santa! I’ve been very good, you can even ask my uncle!” She points at Cas who feels like a deer in headlights. “Tell him, Uncle Cas!”

If the name brings up anything for Dean he doesn’t show it and Cas tries not be offended by the fact that he can recognize Dean in a fake beard from over a dozen heads away but Dean can’t recognize Cas from just a few feet.

“Uncle Cas?” Dean asks with a jolly laugh. “Has Miss Claire been a good girl?”

Claire is looking at him with pleading eyes and it’s enough to kick Cas out of his internal little pity party. He smiles at them and says, “Yes, Santa. She’s been very good this year.”

Dean laughs again and turns his direction to Claire. “That’s very good to hear. So what would you like for Christmas, Miss Claire?”

“I would like a Nintendo Switch,” Claire answers proudly.

“I’ll see what I can do then,” Dean promises.

“Oh and Santa!” Claire says. “If it’s not too much…” she gestures for Dean to lean forward so she can whisper in his ear.

Dean listens intently, his smile slowly growing into something far more genuine. He leans back and strokes his beard, looking pensive. “That shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ll do my best.”

Claire’s smile is small but sincere. “Thanks, Santa!” She hugs him tight before jumping off and running to the other side.

Cas frowns but goes to follow after her, having only enough guts to offer a short wave in Dean’s direction as he passes.

He doesn’t get far though when he feels a hand slide into his and pull him to a stop. When he looks back, Dean is staring directly at him, eyes smiling.

“Wait just a second, young man,” Dean says in his jolly voice. “Don’t you want to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what you want for Christmas?”

Cas’s mouth hangs open. “I-I- uh, I’m not- I’m not a kid…”

“But have you been good this year?” Dean asks him.

Cas can’t answer, can only stare into Dean’s green eyes and wonder why he ever walked away from them.

“He has!” Claire shouts from where she stands next to an elf munching on a candy cane.

Dean just smiles even bigger. “Then it sounds like you deserve a present!”

Before Cas can move or think of resisting, Dean is pulling him onto his lap, their faces just inches from one another’s. Dean smells warm and spicy and Cas wants to burrow his face into his chest and lay their for hours. Just like he used to when he was twenty-two and college was kicking his ass and the only thing keeping him in one piece were nights at Dean’s where they just cuddled on the couch. They didn’t even have to speak or kiss or anything. Just holding each other until they felt whole again.

“So,” Dean says, voice much softer now, “what would you like for Christmas?”

“I, Uh, I don’t really need anything,” Cas manages.

Dean frowns. “Hmm, a little elf told me you could use some help in the romance department.”

Cas shoots daggers over his shoulder at Claire who just grins.

“Hard to believe someone as gorgeous as you doesn’t have someone special,” Dean whispers, drawing Cas’s attention again.

Cas has no idea how to respond, not like this, not while looking into the eyes of the most special person he’s ever known. Does Dean even know how much he meant to Cas, how much better he’d made Cas’s life back then? “I used to, Santa,” Cas finds himself whispering.

Dean quirks a brow. “Used to?”

“I broke up with him,” Cas explains. “A long time ago.”

“Did something happen?”

Cas shakes his head. “I thought I wanted something different. And by the time I realized I was wrong… it was too late.”

Dean’s eyes seem to soften. “I’m sure you must have meant just as much to him. And that means there’s always a chance. You just have to be brave enough to take it.”

Heat rushes to Cas’s face and he has to look down. “I don’t think he even remembers me anymore.”

A gentle gloved hand strokes under his chin to life his face back up and Cas’s breath stutters as he looks into Dean’s beautiful eyes. “I don’t think anyone could ever forget you, Castiel Novak.”

Something shifts in Cas’s chest, like a new airway is opening up and he’s breathing right for the first time in years. “Dean?” Cas whispers.

“If you’re not busy later, I get off at seven. I’d love to meet up and… talk.”

The smile that grows across his face is almost painful. “I would love that.”

Dean smiles bigger. “Then it’s a date.”

It takes all of Caswillpower to make himself climb off of Dean’s lap — and to be fair, it seems to take Dean a considerable amount of strength to let him go. But they eventually separate with soft smiles and a meeting place in mind.

As Cas nears Claire, he catches her sending Dean a thumbs up. He turns in time to see Dean return it before winking at Cas and turning to greet the next kid.

“So what did you ask Santa for?” Claire asks innocently.

Cas rolls his eyes and ruffles her hair again. “I guess you’ll find out on Christmas, huh, little elf?”

She laughs and bats his hand away as they disappear into the mall, Cas dreaming of the evening to come and wondering if maybe there is a little something to say for Christmas magic.


End file.
